I’ve been away most of the weekend and am behind in the news, but it seems clear that we do not yet know why these idiots bombed Boston.
So when I see posts saying “They are Islamic terrorists” or “they are right-wing extremists” or “they are Obama supporters” I just ignore them, and I advise everyone else to do so as well until we know more.
The only thing we know for sure is that they were evil.
My wife and I have been happily married for more than thirty years now. We’ve helped each other out through thick and thin, including years of cancer treatments and a current handicap because of it. We’ve never needed counseling, never cheated, and never separated. I’d like to think we are an example of what all good, loving marriages should be.
So imagine my surprise when I discover that, according to Catholic League president Bill Donohue, our marriage is a sham because we have no children. “The whole purpose of marriage is to have a family,” he said, while arguing against gay marriage. “It’s not about making people happy. It’s not about love.”
This would apparently include those who get married later in life, past child-bearing age — so for all of you seniors who are reading this: Forget about marriage. Love, according to the Catholic League, has nothing to do with it. You are doomed to live the rest of your life sad and alone if you wish to be a good Catholic, apparently.
From what I can see, plenty of kids are being born now without parents being married at all. Somehow, that happens. Apparently, being married doesn’t seem to have anything to do with that.
I do admit that I am confused by those who stand Grinch-like above it all, sneering down haughtily while trying to prevent others from having joy. Why does it hurt these Grinches in the slightest? What, does someone else’s happiness cause you pain? Shouldn’t we be encouraging happy couples in stable relationships?
But what do I know? My marriage is apparently a scam.
90% of Americans support background checks. The NRA writes contribution checks. Guess who wins?
Yep. The watered-down background checks law couldn’t even get through Congress when just about everyone supported it. What does that tell you?
The small percentage of those against background checks are either (a) NRA lobbyists who want to sell as many guns as possible for the gun manufacturers who pay them or (b) gun nuts who are convinced that everybody having a gun is the only thing standing between us and totalitarianism. And yet, that’s who Congress listened to.
So it still remains easier in most of the United States to buy a gun than it is to get a driver’s license and drive a car.
Most of the GOP angrily hate any kind of background check or restrictive registrations because they violate basic Constitutional rights. I know this, because I heard them say it while they were passing laws requiring background checks and restrictive registrations in order to vote.
And even so, this law would have done practically nothing. It was weakened to the point of being meaningless, with exceptions for selling guns to family, neighbors, or friends.
“Hi, welcome to Billy-Bob’s Gun Emporium.”
“I’d like to buy twelve military-style assault rifles and some armor-piercing bullets. But, uh, I don’t want to do a background check.”
“Where do you live?”
“On the other side of town.”
“We’re neighbors! Do you have any money?”
“Yes, right here.”
“Ah, then you’re also a friend! No problem. Here we go…”
To think that we couldn’t even get this first step passed, with support unlike just about anything else in the entire country (try to get 90% of the public to agree on anything), just lets you know who really runs things here.
And it ain’t us.
Yesterday I criticized Fox for jumping to conclusions. I was right; they had to back away and admit that they were completely wrong.
Today, CNN and NBC (and Fox again) also read too much into something and proclaimed that a suspect was in custody when in fact the only real news was that a video had been found that showed someone who might be the bomber. More jumping to conclusions, but at least this time it wasn’t a “He’s Muslim so he must be guilty” situation.
I feel like yelling “everyone remain calm and remember Richard Jewell!”
I went to law school in Boston, just a few blocks from the bombing. I traveled Boylston Street often — to get to the Copley Place subway stop or go to the great Boston Public Library for books or guest lectures. I lived in Boston for a total of twelve years and often think I never should have left.
So of course, like everyone, I looked for answers. Who would do this horrible thing? And why?
I speculated. It sure seemed more like a home-grown attack than a terrorist one. It happened on tax day, in the home of the original tea party. And as my friend, journalist Steve Vaughan (a/k/a “Virginia Pundit”) said, “I’m not sure the targets would have the same resonance with our ‘friends’ in the Middle East. Also, no martyrs. Whoever did this planted the bombs, walked away and set them off by remote. That sounds like Americans.”
That doesn’t mean Steve and I are right. Just wondering, and speculating.
However, many don’t seem to care about speculating. Fox News (through the New York Post) wildly reported that there was a Muslim suspect in custody. Even after the Police denied the story, they stood by it. By today, when it was made clear that the police had merely spoken to a Muslim kid who was a witness (along with hundreds of other witnesses) did Fox back away. Fortunately, all the other reliable media have learned not to repeat anything reported by anything owned by Rupert Murdock. No such restriction was held with the right-wing blog, who gladly proclaimed their “truth” of the matter. And some of my conservative friends reposted these accusations over and over on their Facebook pages, spreading the crap.
Now, I don’t know. Maybe it was some Islamic extremist. Or maybe it was a home-grown one. Or maybe just a crazy person acting on his own. We don’t know yet.
It’s one thing to speculate based on evidence and the methods by which the bombing happened, and quite another to make huge accusations based on fear.
So I advise everyone: Be cynical. Be skeptical. Demand evidence.
And never trust anything connected with Fox News.
And always check Snopes first!
ventrellaquest.com 